is a condemnation and you shal then find there is a condemnation and I shall shew you the judgements of this condemnation First One judgement of this condemnation is hell which is a hidden place of Gods anger and wrath for as the joyes of heaven are hidden joyes so also the torments of hell are hid for no man is able to apprehend how terrible the torments of hell are which makes the divels to tremble for saith the Lord An anger is kindled in my wrath which shall burn to the lowest hell Deut. 32. 22. And all the wicked and all nations that forget God shall go own to bell Psal 9. 17. and Tophet is prepared of old for the King as well as the begger you may see Esay 30. 33. And when Christ shall say to the wicked Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devill and his angels Mat. 25. 41. And the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment ver 46. When Christ shall come in flaming fire with his migty Angels to render vengeance to those that know not God and obey not the Gospel of Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 2 Thes 1. 7. 8. 9. and this is one judgement of this condemnation The second judgemeâ—◠〈◊〉 the fire of hell which is the fire of Gods 〈◊〉 and is the wrath and anger of God which shall burn and consume for ever for if our materiall fire which was made to warm to comfort and refresh the creature be so terrible what do you think the fire of hell is that is made for tormenâ— when God himselfe doth invent torment how terrible will it be for the wrath of the Lord like a river of brimstone doth kindle the fire of hell Esay 30. 33. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse of men that withhold the truth in unrighteousnesse Rom. 1. 18 And the fire of the wrath is everlasting and never goes out Mat. 25. 41. Thirdly The worme never dies and this worme I conceive to be an accusing conscience judging and accusing a sinfull and wicked creature for all his abominations that he hath committed in rejecting the love of God and the grace and mercy offered in Jesus Christ whereby he might have been freed from that wrath to come had he imbraced the grace and mercy offered but now he is lost for ever through his own default and hath lost the glory that he might have had and must abide the wrath of God for ever and thus the worme never dies Marke 9. 25. Fourthly There shall be weeping gnashing of teeth for now there will be a wonderfull change for those that formerly have lived in all pleasure and delight and have been haters of God and contemners of all good and rejoycing in their pleasures and delights and have glutted themselves with the pleasures of this world with their scorns and jears and rejoycings against the troubles of the people of God and mocking at their troubles and rejoycing at their calamity with their injoying all the pleasures of this life taking their fill in the eyes of this world but now comes their woe their rejoycing will be turned to mourning for woe be to you that laugh now in your wickedness for you shall weep Oh what a change will there be when all their joy will be turned into weeping for there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth they that have glutted themselves with their made joy shal now have enought of weeping they shall now weep houle bewaile their condition with weeping for ever and this is another judgement of this condemnation Mat. 13. 42. 50. chap. 24. 51. chap. 25. 30. 5. They shall be cast into utter darkness for they have done the works of darkness and their reward shall be that they shall be cast into utter darkness it would be a hell for a man to live all his lifetime in some dark place where he should never see the light all his life-time How terrible was the darkness in Egypt that might be felt Exod. 10. 23. that no man rose from his place for three dayes it was so dark and they were so amazed with darkness but what will the darkness of Hell be think you it is utter darkness where they shal be deprived of the light for ever from the light of God of Christ and from the light of grace and glory and never more to see the light Mat. 8. 12. chap. 12. 13. ch 25. 30. 6. The consideration of the losse of their time what they are and what they might have been had they improved that precious time that was afforded them whereby they might have been precious Saints in Heaven and to have enjoyed the presence of God and of Christ of Saints and Angels to have been in glory with Abraham Isaac and Jacob and with all the Saints in glory had they improved that pretious time which the Lord did afford them who was waiting upon them to do them good by tendering grace to them day by day and they rejecting all the motions of his spirit and despised his grace and mercy offered them and so may blame themselves not him O how wil this strike to their hearts think you when they consider their losse and themselves the cause there of and now are lost Creatures for ever how will this aggravate their woe O consider this all you that forget God before it is too late while you have time and while it is called to day harden not your hearts least you fall into the anger of God â—â—id so 〈◊〉 you up in his wrath into that terrible condemnation for our God is a consuming fire Seventhly They shall receive every one according to their deeds and their wickednes then those that have been most vile shall receive according to their vileness the proud shall receive according to their pride for terrible is that God that judgeth them so much covetousnesse so much wrath so much drunkennesse so much of the anger of God shall be powred upon them so much swearing so much payment for oaths so much whoring so much torment so much pleasure in the world so much displeasure and sorrow so much honour in the world so much dishonour with God and look how much they have been persecutors of the Saints and people of God so much they shall be persecuted for thus saith the Lord I will measure unto them according to their works Now will the Lord call all their wickednesse into remembrance which have been forgotten so many hundred of years but now are called to remembrance for though he suffered them long yet now he will pay them home at last and this will be an aggravation of their condemnation Eighthly Their worm â—hall neveâ— die nor the fire of Gods wrath shall never be put out for he suffered them for a moment to delight themselves in sinne but he will punish them for ever
great ones and the eyes of the priests and people lest they should obey the glorious Gospel of Christ 2 Cor. 4. 4. and for this cause there is so few that imbrace the Gospell because men love the praise of men more then the praise of God 4 Reason Is because there is so few of the great ones believe the Gospell and this was the plea of the Scribes and Pharisees against Christ Have any of the rulers believed on him John 7. 48. The Pharisees knowing this that the multitude would follow the great ones whether right or wrong whether their way were true or false and this is as true in our dayes for if the great ones would believe and follow the Gospell then would the inferiour ones and if the Priests would imbrace the Gospell then would the people and so as Christ saith The blind lead the blind and so they both fall into the ditch for as the Apostle saith ye see your calling brethren how that not many mighty not many noble not many learned but the poore receive the Gospell 1 Cor. 1. the contemptible ones of the worâ—â— the great ones â—allowing in their fleshly felicity and worldly glory and therefore it â—â— that so few imbrace the Gospel of Christ 5 Reason Is the high esteem of the persons of some and the dis-esteem of the persons of others and thus did the Scribes and Pharisees vilifie the Person of Christ in their saying Is not this the Carpenters son Marke 6. 3. 4. being offended at him and declaring against him saying Art thou greater then our father Abraham and the Prophets John 8. 53. and thus they undervalued the Person of Christ to make his doctrine contemptible in abasing his Person that thereby they might set up themselves saying We are Abrahams children John 8. 39. but for this fellow we know not whence he is John 9. 29. and thus did the proud Scribes and Pharisees of those times contemne Christ and his Apostles as if they were the basest men in the world and thus they do in these dayes highly esteem of the persons of so me if he be an University man and have learned the spirit as they conceive at the University with the knowledge of the humane tongues and have received his humane degrees then they admire his Person and esteem him some great man or divine person having bought the spirit at the University as the people conceive and that which he hath bought at the Schools he sels it for spirit though indeed it be nothing but a Tract of Fathers and Authors which he hath got by art compacting a Sermon out of Fathers and Authours and the like and preaches but the judgements of other men and those mens persons are esteemed as the only men in the world and all other men rejected though never so able and godly because they come not in by the doore of humane inventions their persons are despised as contemptible and so their doctrine is despised being never so holy and true because their persons are contemptible which is a main cause and reason wherefore so few imbrace the Gospell of Christ 6 Reason Wherefore so few imbrace the Gospell is this because the Lord hath been pleased in all Ages to reveale his truth to a company of contemptible ones in the worlds eye as you may see both under the Law and Gospell as under the Law the Lord called Moses a shepheard to feed his flock who was feeding the sheep of his father Exod. 3. And the Lord called him to feed his people Israel and also David a shepheard who was tending of his fathers flock And the Lord called him 〈◊〉 the ewes and made him a shepheard in Is 〈…〉 and then there was Elisha a plow-man and Amos a heards-man Amos 1. And thus you see under the Law how the Lord did reveale his truth and under the Gospell you have Christ and his Disciples who were poor contemptible men in the world and as Matthew a Publican and Peter James and John fisher-men with Paul a Tent-maker And thus you see that the Lord did reveale his truth by a company of trades-men which the Apostle Paul doth so gloriously confirm 1 Cor. 1. against the proud Rabbies of those times and justifies his poor brethren in the Ministry saying you see your calling brethren how that not many wise mighty or noble are called to the Ministry but God hath called the foolish to confound the wise and the weake to confound the mighty and things that are not in the worlds â—ye as any thing hath God chosen to bring to â—aught things that are esteemed in the world And this the Lord doth that no flesh should boast or glory in his presence and therefore the Apostle saith Where is the wise where is the Scribe and disputer of this world for the Lord hath made foolish the wisdome of this world 1 Cor. 1. 20. And therefore behold saith the Lord I will do a work in your dayes saith the Lord that you will not believe though 〈◊〉 declared unto you for the wisdome of your wise men shall perish and I will make the deviners mad Esa 29. 14. Act. 23. Oh behold and wonder ye Ministers of England and ye Rabbies and Doctors ye have been exalted up to Heaven but you shall be brought down for you have sought your selves more then Jesus Christ and your own honour more then his you have sought to set up your selves and to abace Christ and have been ashamed to tonfess his Gospel before men for fear of losing your earthly honours and preferments and have denied the holy one of Israel in perverting his wayes and changing his Ordinances and have been time-servers and served your selves and not Christ and therefore the Lord hath a quarrel against you and wil confound your wisdom and make you to be despised before the people and will shake off your fleshly glorying that you may glory in the Lord and this the Lord will do by raysing up men to preach the Gospel and you shall be cast out as a contemptible thing because you have been a hinderance and not a furtherance to the Gospel of Christ for the Idolizing of your persons is a reason wherefore so few believe and obey the Gospel of Christ 7. Reason Wherefore so few imbrace and obey the Gospel is because the wayes of the Gospel are persecuted wayes for no sooner Christ the great Minister of God came to preach the Gospel to the People but the high Priest and Doctors sought to destroy him Mat 2. and how was he persecuted of the Learned Rabbies and was forst to flee from one place to another and was persecuted wheresoever he came and had not where to hide his head while the great Doctors were slourishing in their earthly glory and pompe rejoycing at the troubles of the Sonne of God and like Foxes lay lurking in their holes to watch for his ruin and nothing would serve them but his death crying his blood be upon us
acting good he tels thee there is no sin yet he knows he is the father of lies he tels thee that the Scripture is but a low and carnall way but he knows thou art a liar he tels thee that the Scriptures cannot save thee but he knows the Scriptures can damne thee he tels thee that the Scriptures cannot bring life but he knows the Scriptures can bring death he tels thee that the Scriptures are carnall but he knows that thou art carnall he tels thee that the Scriptures are not the minde of God but he knows thou art a liar And thus the Devill deludeth and man acteth his delusions how apt is the Devill to deceive and how apt is man to be deceived how cunning is the Devill to delude and how foolish is the creature to be deluded how wise is the Devill to keep thee from heaven and how foolish art thou to lose it his intent is to damne thee and thy intent is to damne thy self And this is the grand design of the Devil too he makes thee beleeve thou art high when he knows thou art but low he makes thee beleeve thou art in light when he knows thou art in darknesse how oft hath the Devill deceived thee and how oft hast thou been deceived the Devill bids thee to deny the word and thou art ready to forsweare it the Devil bids thee to mocke the Scripture and thou art ready to trample it under thy feet and what is this but a Bird worse then himself he hatches the Egge and the man begets the Serpent he sows the seed and man reaps it But some may think I speak a mystery if so then know I speak to a people in the mystery of darknesse whose thoughts are high but their words are low whose words are high but their actions are but low who talk of love but their deeds are hatred they will not beleeve a visible worship in Scripture and therefore we must prove it to our comfort and their shame But we must not prove it by Scripture for if we doe they will not beleeve it Now you may see the Serpent stir in the Egge and therefore we must prove it by reason the Lord said to Saul Thy sinne is as the sinne of witchcraft to reject the word which if so then there are many such like witches And because thou hast rejected my word I have also rejected thee which if so how many such like witches will God reject There was such under the Law that said It was in vaine to serve God and thou art following thy fore-fathers steps thou wilt not be behinde them thou wilt rather runne before them so ready art thou to obey thy disobedient master the Devill he fell from his first place and so wilt thou for thou art a servant to that god that thou obeyest but thou shewest that thou art not for God but for Belial thou wilt not manifest a visible obedience but thou wilt manifest a visible disobedience thou wilt not worship God but thou wilt worship Belial thou wilt not worship God visibly but thou wilt worship Beliall visibly and now I shall give thee some Reasons for a visible worship but it may be thou wilt say it is not reason then I shall say thou art no man 1. The principles of Nature wil tell thee that there is a visible worship for before there was any prescript worship set forth yet there was an inward principle that told them there was a visible worship and thereby they did worship God visibly and did manifest to all the world that they stood for a visible worship and did offer Sacrifices and the like to manifest a visible worship to their God and did worship God in the principles of Nature as faithfully as if they had had a visible prescript whereby they were justified before God and wilt thou derogate from Nature then it seemes thou hast a principle worse then Nature for Nature is for a visible worship when they had no visible worship set forth yet Nature taught them there was one but thou hast a worse principle then Nature that teacheth thee there is none 2. Thy Conscience will tell thee there is a visible worship and wil testifie against thee one day for thy visible disobedience and wil accuse thee at the Barre of Justice what wilt thou say then wilt thou say there was no visible worship wil not conscience tell thee of thy wickednesse and lay before thee what an agent of Hel thou hast bin oft thou hast belied thy conscience and stifled the motions thereof and how oft thou hast pleaded against thy conscience and that thou hast made the Word of the Lord contemptible and hast villyfied it before all the people how thou hast slighted the Commands of the Lord and hast set thy selfe to worke wickednesse and hast sold thy selfe to plead for disobedience that thou hast stood for Baal and not for God in that thou hast acted the Devils part to make the wayes of God contemptible now how wil thy traiterous heart excuse thee for all these things wilt thou plead against Conscience then at the bar of Justice no Traitor thy Conscience wil then be thy Judge and set thy sins in order before thee and then thou shalt be paid according to thy deserts and thy punishment shal be as great as thy sinne when thou shalt fall into the wrath of the Almighty 3. If thou art not for a visible obedience then thou art for a visible disobedience and then his servant thou art to whom thou obeyest but thou art not for visible obedience but for disobedience and by that I shal know who is thy Father even the Devil who is the father of Lyes and of disobedience for he kept not his first place nor abode in the truth and thou followest the steps of thy father the Devil for thou art his owne childe we may know thee by following thy fathers steps that thou commest out of his bosome for he hath begat thee to be a sonne of his Lyes for how dost thou set up a visible disobedience to all the world thou art busie about thy Fathers worke God tels men they should obey and teacheth the Creature visible obedience and thou sayest he should not obey and teachest the Creature visible disobedience and is not this a setting up thy selfe against God the Lord strives to make men good and thou strivest to make men wicked wouldest thou make all the world disobedient that thou mightest rejoyce at their disobedience as the Devil rejoyceth at thee thou art for disobedience thou shewest whose sonne thou art and there I leave thee 4. Thy striving so against a visible worship doth make it appeare that there is one by thy striving against it for if there were not a visible worship what dost thou strive against if there were none thou hadst no need to strive for nothing for thy strife were at an end but sure thou art aware there is a visible worship
is declared to be righteous and just and the justifier of all that believe in him Rom. 8. 25 26. so that as by the offence of one many were made sinners even so by the righteousnesse of Christ shall many be made righteous Rom. 5. 19. And for this work of his God hath highly exalted him and hath made him Heir of all things Heb. 1. 2. And thus you see that Christ hath done the work of the first Covenant and so is the end thereof Thirdly Christ takes away the first by establishing the second for finding fault with the first he saith Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will make or establish a new Covenant and so he takes away the first that he may establish the second Heb. 10. 9. and so Christ is become a Minister of a better Covenant established upon better promises Heb. 8. 6. For if the first had been found faultlesse there had been no place found for the second but finding fault with the first he saith Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will make a new Covenant and in that he saith a new Covenant he hath made the first old and that which is old is ready to vanish away Heb. 8. 7. 8. 13. And thus you see the first was but a typicall Covenant and was but to continue untill a better came which is a better Covenant a better way then the former was Aud thus I have spoken a word or two of the first Covenant and now I shall speak a word or two of the second And first I shall shew you how the Covenant of grace is established and that is these three waies First by promise for no sooner there was a wound by the first Covenant but there was a promise of healing in the second saying the seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head as you may see Gen. 3. 15. and this was also promised to Noah Gen 6. 18. and more fully manifested to Abraham in many promises made unto him at divers sundry times Gen. 12. 3. and the 17. 7. and a more plainer promise was made to Moses as you may see Deut. 18. 18. where the Lord sheweth that he would send the great Prophet or Angell of his Covenant and would put his words into his mouth that he might speak all that the Father should command him ver 18. 19. And thus yon see all along how the Covenant was established by the promise of the Father Secondly The Covenant was established by prophecy as you may see Isa 42. 6. ch 49 6. as also in Jer. 31. 31. And it shall come to passe in the last daies that I will make a new Covenant with the House of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the Covenant I made with their Fathers in the day that I tooke them by the hand to bring them out of Egypt which Covenant they brake though I was a husband unto them saith the Lord but this shall be the Covenant that I will make with them saith the Lord And thus you see that it was established by Prophecy Thirdly It was established by the bloud of the Testatour for a covenant is ratified by bloud as also the first covenant was for when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the Law he took the bloud of calves and of goats and sprinkled both the book and the people saying This is the bloud of the covenant which God hath enjoyned unto you for without bloud there is no remission Heb 9. 19. 20. 22. and therefore the second covenant was established and ratified with bloud even by the bloud of the Son of God Heb. 9. 14. For where a covenant is there must also be of necessity the death of the Testator ver 16. and therefore the bloud of Christ is called the bloud of the covenant Heb. 10. 29. chap. 12. 24. chap. 13. 20. And thus the Covenant is ratified and confirmed by the bloud of Christ which is the bloud of the everlasting covenant And thus I have shewed you in a word or two how the Covenant was established and now I shall speak a word or two of the Covenant it selfe now the essence or being of the Covenant is God who out of his 〈◊〉 love and unexpressible mercy and tender compassion was pleased to give a being to the Covenant to manifest to all men that he was not in anger but in love that though his anger lay in the Covenant of the flesh yet his love lay in the Covenant of the spirit for he seemed to shew anger in the type and shadow but his great love doth appear in the substance and truth in the Covenant of grace to manifest his great love to all men and thus much for the being of the Covenant and now for the matter of it Now the matter of the Covenant is the mind of God consisting of promises of love and mercy unto all men as you may see Luke 2. 10. 14. upon condition of obedience unto the Lawes and Ordinances of that Covenant proceeding from the minde of God from whence all the teaching of the Gospell and ordinances thereof do proceed as you see Deut. 18. 17 18. For the Son doth nothing of himselfe but what he hath received of the Father in being taught of the Father what to teach John 8. 20. 29. And so being to toach the mind of the Father both for promises and commands to the world from the minde of God and thus much for the matter of the Covenant consisting of Promises and Ordinances proceeding from the minde of the Father and now of the matter it selfe Now the Covenant of grace is called a testament or will being indeed the will of the Father revealed to the Son and by the Son revealed to the world to manifest the Fathers love unto the sonnes and daughters of men and testified to the world that what he declared was the minde of God and sealed it with his bloud and so his bloud is called the bloud of God or the bloud of the testament or will Heb. 10. 19. chap. 13. 20. Secondly It is called a new Covenant because it makes the first old and takes away the old bondage of the first that there might be Gospel-freedome in the second that so we may see how far the one doth exceed the other Thirdly It is called a new Covenant because it doth not wax old as the other did but is to continue for ever and is an everlasting Covenant which is to continue until the consummation of all things Mat. 28. Fourthly It is called a new Covenant because it is new in every age and to every generation it is a new covenant bringing new covenants in every age which are green and â—â—urishing afresh in all generations to manifest the glory of the Gospell beyond the glory of the first the glory of the one decreasing and the glory of the other growng and increasing and thus much of the
his Being and for the further probation of this truth I shall come to the Confession of the Sonne who doth acknowledge the Father to be above all when he saith I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent And all things are given unto me of my Father Mat. 11. 25. 27. in doing nothing but by his Fathers appointment Luke 22. 29. and when he said Father into thy hands I commit my spirit Luke 23. 46. as also confessing that the Father sent him John 5. 36 37. doing nothing of himself but as he was taught of the Father John 8. 28. And thus you see the confession of Christ that he did nothing of himself but the Father that sent him gave him a Commandement what he should say and teach as you may see John 12. 49. 50. and when he said Loe I come to do thy will O God And thus you see the Sonne doth acknowledâ—â— the Father to be the onely true God And now I shall come to the testimony of the Apostles to confirme this truth in theâ—â— saying That Jesus when you have Crucified 〈◊〉 God raised up Acts 2. 23 24. and God the Father hath raised up Jesus whereof we are â—â—â—nesses Acts 2. 32. and in doing their 〈◊〉 works in the name of Jesus whom God hath raised up Acts 4. 10. and the God of our Fathers hath raised up Jesus whom ye flew and hanged upon a tree Acts 5. 30. And the Apoâ—â—e doth declare that to confesse the truth of this Doctrine is the way to salvation Rom. 10. 9. And thus the Apostles do acknowledge the Father to be the onely true God saying There are Gods many and Lords many but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is but one God even the Father of whom 〈◊〉 all things 2 Cor. 8. 5 6. And then you have the confession of the Prophets and Christ and his Apostles that the Father is the onely true God which to know is life eternall And now I shall come to the third thing Thirdly It is life eternall to know the Father as he is the God of all being from whom all things do proceed and therefore there is 〈◊〉 like the Father amongst the Gods so wonderfull in power and in glory Exodus 15. 1â— For the Father is greater then all Gods 〈◊〉 in the thing wherein they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is above 〈◊〉 Exodus 18. 11. and therefore there is no God in Heaven nor in earth that can do according to his works nor according to his might as you may see Deut. 4. 24. being Lord of Heaven above and earth beneath and there is none else Deut. 4. 39. All Nations whom thou hast made shall worship thee for thou art God alone Psa 86. 9. 10. In his hands are the deep places of the earth and his hands formed the dry land the Sea is his and he made it and the height and the strength of the Hills is his also Psa 95. 3 4 5. To him alone that doth great wonders who by his wisdom made the Heavens and stretched out the Earth above the waters and that made the great lights of Heaven which is the God of Gods and his mercy endureth for ever as you may see 136. Psa Who is the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel that dwelleth between the Cherubiâ—â— thou art God even thou alone of all the Kingdoms of the earth thou hast made Heaven and earth Isa 37. 16. and before him there was no God formed neither shall there be after him Isa 43. 10. For thus saith the Lord I am the Lord and there is none else for there is no God besides â—â— I girded thee thou hast not known me thou they may know from the rising and from the West that there is none besides â—â— I was the Lord and there is none else 45. Isâ— 5 6 7. And thus he is the true God he is the living God and an everlasting King Jer. 10. 10. that maketh the earth to tremble and the Nations shal not be able to abide his indignation the Gods that have not made the Heavens the Earth shall even perish from the Earth and from under these Heavens and so we have all one father for one God hath created us Mal. 1. 10. and thus you see that the Prophets do acknowledge the Father to be the God of all Being And now I shall shew you the testimony of Christ and his Apostles when Christ saith I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth Mat. 11. 25. and all things are delivered unto me of my Father ver 27. and my Father is greater then I John 14. 28. and my Father is greater then all and I have kept my Fathers commands and abide in his love John 15. 10. and so you see the acknowledgement of the Sonne And now I shall come to his Apostles who do declare that God the Father 〈◊〉 Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and much power for the Father was with him whereof they were Witnesses Acts 10. 48 49. that God the Father made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all things therein Acts 14. 15. ch 17. 14. being Lord of Heaven and Earth and al things therein and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 11. 31. For though there be that are called Gods as there be Gods many and Lords many yet to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things 1 Cor. 8. 5. 6. And thus you see that the Prophets and Christ and his Apostles do acknowledge that God the Father is the onely true God even the God of all Being and thus to know the Father is eternall life And now I shall come to speak of the Son for it is life eternall to know the Sonne as to know the Father the Sonne being the great Prophet of God and the greatest of all the Prophets and the greatest of the sons of men and above all men and Angels next unto God himself and thus to know the Son is eternall life 1. To know him in the promise being promised of long before he came by the Father himself that as he made a Covenant of works with the first Adam he would make a Covenant of grace with the second Adam which should be perfected at the coming of the Some that the love of the Father might be known to all the world the which love and grace was to be declared by the Sonne the chief Prophet of God who was to reveal the mind of God to all men in opening the Fountain of Gods love and mercy and for that cause he was much desired of before he came being the Sonne of the Fathers love in declaring the salvation of God of which salvation the Prophets have enquired searched diligently who Prophecyed of the grace to come searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before of the sufferings of Christ
Heavens and Earth that appeare to us from whence came he but from Heaven and where was he but in a place of glory before these visible Heavens and Earth were made which shewes he was somewhere before in a place of glory that cannot be beheld with mortall eyes and which cannot be comprehended by a finall Creature and therefore it doth appear that there is a Heaven 3. Reason Is because we enjoy but the back parts of God for we can hardly behold his back-parts and how then should we behold his fore-parts how then should we behold him in his glory Again when Israel beheld the back-parts of God in the Mount his glory made them and Moses tremble and if his back-parts made them tremble how then should they behold his fore-parts and where do you think the face and presence of God is with that innumerable Company of Angels and heavenly Host would not the presence of one Angel make you tremble what then would his Host and what would God himself do for no man shall see his face and live Where is his presence his face and fore-parts and that Company of Angels that are allwayes in his presence but in Heaven a place of glory which shewes there is a Heaven 4 Reason When God hath appeared at any time to his People his appearance hath been more glorious then all the glory in the earth they have bin ashamed confounded in themselves as not being able to behold the glory of their maker either in himself or in his Angels whose appearance would darken all the glory of the Earth whereby it doth appear that the presence of God and his Angells must be somewhere the Earth not being able to bear their glory and where should they be but in Heaven a place of glory 5. Reason When the Lord hath spoken at any time to the People his word hath come down from Heaven as when he spake with Noah and with Abraham Isaac and Jacob he spake from Heaven and when he spake with Moses in the 3. of Exod. he spake from Heaven and when the Law was given in the Mount he came from Heaven as also when he spake unto the Prophets he spake from Heaven and also at the Birth of Christ from whence came that glorious Company of Angels but from Heaven and when there came a voice from Heaven saying this is my beloved Sonne and when the Heavens were opened and the Holy Ghost came upon the Apostles as also in the vision of Paul a light and a voice came from Heaven and much more might be spoken on at large if time would permit to shew that there is a Heaven where God is more glorious then he is in Earth 6. Reason That there is a Heaven doth appear from the desire of the people of God who looked upon all things below as nothing with their desires to seek after Heaven and desiring to leave this World and confessed that here they were strangers and had no abiding place but sought for a place in another World with desires to be desolved and to be absent from the body desiring to be clothed upon with their House which is from Heaven with their weariness of this World and desiring to leave it for a better doth make it appear that there is a Heaven 7. Reas The prayers of the Saints doth make it appear that there is a Heaven as in their prayers lifting up their thoughts their eyes and hands and all to Heaven from whence they look for comfort and might I not be very large in this in the practice of all the Saints but a word to the wise is enough 8. Reason The holy walkings of the Saints doth declare there is a Heaven by framing all their thoughts words and deedes in such a heavenly way that so they might be fitting themselves for such a Kingdom 9. Reason The Prophets do declare there is a Heaven in all their writings of which I shall speak a word or two of some as Deut. 3. 24. where Moses saith that there is no God in Heaven or Earth can do such glorious works as the God of Heaven and Solomon saith Lord heare in Heaven thy dwelling-place 2 Kings 8. 31. 34. and thy People pray and supplicate unto thee Lord heare in Heaven thy dwelling-place 2 Chron. 6. 30. and David saith The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the Children of men Psal 13. 2. and the Lord looketh down from Heaven and beholdeth all the Sonnes of men Psal 33. 13. and thy mercy O Lord is in the Heavens Psalm 36. 5. and God looked down from Heaven Psal 53. 2. but our God is in the Heavens Psal 115. 3. and his glory is above the Heavens Psal 113. 4. Thus saith the Lord the Heaven is my Throne Isaiah 65. 2. and thus saith the Lord can Heaven above be measured Jer. 31. 34. and there is a God in Heaven that revealeth secrets Dan. 2. 28. and he it is that buildeth his ascensions in the Heavens Amos 9. 6. for behold the Lord cometh down out of his place Mich. 1. 3. and thus you see the testimony of the Prophets that there is a Heaven 10. Reason Christ and his Apostles do declare that there is a Heaven when Christ taught them to say Our Father which art in Heaven Mat. 6. 9. and that you may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven Mat. 5. 45. and how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give them that aske him Mat. 7. 11. and flesh and blood hath not revealed this to you but my Father which is in Heaven Mat. 16. 17. for the Angels do alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in heaven Mat. 18. 10. And thus you see the Son doth affirm that there is a Heaven in these and many places more that might be brought And now I shall go to the Apostles in saying your Master also is in heaven Ephes 6. 1. and the Throne of Majesty in the heavens Heb. 1. i. and the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven â— Pet. 11. 12. and the voices that came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy Mount 2 Pet. 1. 18. And thus you see the truth of this that there is a Heaven â—â— Reason Christs Ascension doth make it appear that there is a Heaven for where is Christ gone but into Heaven to rest in glory with the Father when he saith I go to my Father and I go to prepare a place for you John 14. 2. 12 and he ascended up into heaven Acts 1. 10. in the appearance of the Beholders whom the heavens must contain Acts 3. 21. being ascended farre above all heavens Ephes 4. 10. and so we look for the Son of God from heaven 1 Thes 1. 10. which at last shall shew himself from heaven 2 Thes 1. 7. even that Jesus that is passed into heaven Heb. 4. 14. and is such a high Priest who is set on the right hand of the Throne
mouth speaketh for thou shewest by thy words what is within for as thy heart is so are thy words but it is a signe there is no worship in thy heart because there is none in thy words or else thou dost dissemble with thy selfe Why ought we not as well to serve God in our Bodies as in our Soules Will the worship of God hinder us and why cannot we know as much in a visible way as thou dost out Dost thou thinke that the Worship of the Gospell and the Lawes and Ordinances thereof doth hinder us from knowing the minde of God sure this is but the doctrine of the Serpent for our obedience to the Commands of Jesus Christ doth not hinder us but further us to know his minde For the humble he will teach and he rejecteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble Our living in the Commands of Christ will not hinder us but helpe us to know the minde of God for the Promise is to such as walke in his way and that he that doth his Will shall know his minde and therefore it doth appeare that the Commands of Christ doth not hinder us from knowing the Mysteries of God thou wouldest take us off of our obedience from serving of God to serve the Devill for the Devill hath deceived thee and thou wouldest deceive as thou wouldest bring us out of order into confusion to walke in confusion like thy selfe thou art of no Religion and yet thou canst be of any and thy Religion changes as oft as thy thoughts thou art restlesse in thy thoughts and restlesse in thy life and also as restlesse in thy comforts for thou art in Babilon and the height of confusion for thou livest a confused life thou lyest in confusion and there thou livest how long wilt thou walke in confusion wilt thou not returne into order lest thou dye in confusion and fall into the wrath and anger of Jehovah FINIS A Postscript to a Party called Seekers or those that call themselves Mad-men which deny the Bible to be Scripture or the Word of GOD. THE Devill hath alwayes in all Ages sought to blinde the eyes of the people for he can fit himselfe for all Ages and he is more subtill in this Age then in other Ages and the reason I conceive is this because people are come to see further then they have done in former times into the word of God and his worship and therefore it is the subtilty of Sathan in these dayes to seeke to take us off all worship and to deny the Bible to be the word of God and so teaches men to deny that there is any rule to walke by but that every man may walke according to the dictates of his owne heart and as it seemeth good in his owne eyes and this is a pleasing bait to take the world with and here the old Serpent doth prevaile and snares the sonnes of men for this is the day he lookes for if he can take men off the word that thereby they may deny all Scriptures and all Visible Worship then they will be his owne children of the tribe of disobedience begotten by the seed of the Serpent and travelling towards the land of confusion that they may arrive at the anger of God and because the word is made so contemptible in these dayes I shall endeavour for the strengthning of some and the confirming of others to give you some reasons wherefore the things contained in the Bible are the word of God And first by the workes of Creation it doth appear that this is a truth for if the Lord hath taken so much care of the workes of Creation to preserve them doe you think that his care will bee lesse to preserve his Word Doth not hee magnifie his Name and his word above all things Psal 138. 2. And hath he not more care of his word with the letters and sillables thereof then of the Starres of heaven for if his care bee so great to preserve the workes of Creation how much more shall his care be to preserve his Word whereby his Name and Power might be known to all Nations 2 If the Letter and Word of the Old Testament were not true then what priviledge had the Jews which the Apostle speaks of in Rom. 3. 1. 2. That unto them were committed the Oracles of God now what praise is to the Jewes if their Oracles were not true then they had little priviledge above the Gentiles which is so much spoken of for if the Letter and Word be corrupted then what was their priviledge above other Nations 3 These sixteene hundred yeares and more since the Jewes have beene cast off from being the Church of God and have been scattered for their sinnes upon the face of the whole earth and have been the greatest enemies to the Gospell of any people and yet for all this it cannot be proved that they have corrupted the Scripture but that the Hebrew Text remaineth as it was in the Apostles dayes and shall wee thinke that they were lesse carefull in former times when they were the Church of God for they have been these many yeares so carefull that if any fault escaped the Scribe that Book was not allowed to bee read in their Synagogue untill it were corrected for they have these rules that if the Booke of the Law want but a letter or if the forme of any letter be not perfect it was for children and not for Church Maim in Sepher Torah C. 10. 4 What is 70 yeares to corrupt all Copies when as a Copy written on Parchment as their manner was will indure many 70 years intire Jeremiah with some Jews remained a while in the Land and Ezekiel Daniel with many godly men that were in Babylon with Ezra that learned Priest and Scribe came with the people out of Babylon and they had also other Prophets amongst them as Haggai Zachariah and Malachi and how doe you thinke that the Word should be corrupted having such a glorious company both of Prophets Scribes and wise men whereby it doth appeare that the Scripture is not corrupted but doth remaine the Word of God 5 Doth not Christ reprove the Priests and Scribes with the Pharisees for corrupting the Law by wrong interpretation as you may see Matth. 5. 15. and 23 Now it doth appeare if they had violated and falsified the Scriptures that Christ would have reproved them for it would not Christ have told them saying you have falsified the Scripture but he doth not and therefore it doth appeare that the Scriptures are true 6 If the Scriptures of the Old Testament had been false would Christ have exhorted them to have read the Scriptures Luke 16 Iohn 5. 2 Pet. 1 If they had beene wrong would not Christ and his Apostles have left a perfect Canon of the word to the Church and to all the world but we see that Christ doth confirme the Law in every point Mat. 5. 18. And therefore it doth appeare that